The Raven and the Fairy
by honeybee494
Summary: Maleficent and Diaval share some interesting news and a dance at Aurora's 17th birthday party (Maleval definitely)


**Maleval Oneshot, can't get enough of these cuties**

**Word count: 1341**

**Disclaimer: Don't own**

Maleficent stood at the edge of the room, eyes roaming the dance floor as a giggling Aurora was whirled around by an equally cheerful Prince Philip. As her eyes drifted they narrowed on the figure of a man leaning against a pillar in the shadows; that was a very familiar frame.

The fairy began walking towards him, people moving out of her way and watching with awe and a hint of fear as her tall frame strode past them, wings gliding along the floor along with the hem of her dress.

The man stood straighter upon seeing her and removed himself from the shadows to greet her with a soft smile. "Mistress."

"Maleficent." She corrected.

"Maleficent." He amended, "It's a little hard to break the habit of a lifetime."

"I didn't think you were coming." Maleficent stated, Diaval had disappeared for a while and it hadn't taken Aurora much pressing to get the fairy to admit that she missed his companionship dearly, he was her closest friend.

"Just because you haven't seen me around, doesn't mean I am not close enough to hear gossip, mi-Maleficent. I wouldn't miss my hatchling's seventeenth birthday." The raven-turned-man stated softly.

The fairy's eyebrows quirked at that, after a few moments of silence in which they watched the others on the dance floor, Maleficent murmured, "I didn't think you were ever coming back."

"The Moors are my home Maleficent, and you my dearest friend. Of course I was going to come back." Diaval replied, studying her face from the corner of his eyes, "I was on a personal mission."

"Oh?" Maleficent felt a weight lift from her chest at his response

"Hmm, an unkindness had been encroaching to close to my territory. I may be a single raven but I am certainly not weak. They weren't a particularly large group, easy to put off of trying to nest in the Moors."

"I see. So the Moors are _your _territory?" Maleficent asked a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Well no. But in terms of _birds_ however the Moors _are_ _my_ territory and there will be no unkindness in such place unless I am the dominant male, currently I fancy no such thing. I don't think I ever will, besides I would be expected to have a female raven as a mate."

"Are mates important to ravens then?" The fairy questioned, thinking over his words.

"The most important." Diaval replied watching Aurora and Philip.

"You must get lonely then." Maleficent said, studying her friend's face as she did so.

"No." Diaval beamed, "After all ravens mate for life, I do not need another."

"You've already found a mate?" Maleficent knew her voice sounded tight and that she had maybe let a tinge of hurt filter into them, it stung that she had forgotten he could have another woman in his life that wasn't her.

"Course I have, I found her many years ago." Diaval grinned at her.

"Oh." _Wonderful reply Maleficent_ she berated herself. She saw Diaval's grin slip away as he studied her now cold face, "I hope you're happy with her then." With those words said she stalked her way towards a pair of balcony doors, planning to take flight and apologise to Aurora later.

"Maleficent!"

Her wings spread ready to lift her away, bitter tears already stinging her eyes when Diaval shouted "Wait!"

She didn't turn to face him, merely stared miserably out at the Moors, "What?" She whispered.

"I thought you knew?" the raven-turned-man said confusedly.

"That you have a she-raven waiting in a cosy nest for you in the Moors, no I did not know." She muttered angrily.

"I don't have some she-raven waiting for me, nor do I have a cosy nest. I have a mate whom is the most beautiful being I have ever seen."

Maleficent bit back a sob as he talked, she didn't want to hear this!

"I met her many years ago, when she was wingless and angry. And she ensnared me in her magic the minute I laid eyes on her and when her wings were returned I found there were no words to describe her beauty."

Diaval walked forwards and moved round so he could face, hesitantly he cupped her cheeks, "My mate is you. I have no need for a cosy nest or eggs for I am content with being near to you and watching my hatchling blossom into a magnificent queen."

Maleficent looked up at him, lashes wet with her tears and few rolled down her cheeks, she brought her hands up to hold onto Diaval's wrists as he wiped them away.

"And if you would let me, I would like to kiss you."

Maleficent's eyes flickered to his lips and then back to his eyes, it was unclear who moved first but suddenly warm lips were touching hers and her eyes slipped shut.

Slowly they pulled apart and Diaval let his forehead rest against hers, Maleficent's lips tingled and a pleasant warmth had spread through her, "You deserve somebody better Diaval." She whispered.

"I think that it should be the other way around."

"I am difficult, Diaval. I'm not sure I know how to love anymore." She sounded panicky and wanted to move out of the embrace they were in but her body wouldn't move.

"You are not difficult, Maleficent, and even if you were, don't you think I would know after the number of years I have spent by your side? You do know how to love, you love Aurora and I am not being pretentious when I say you love me, and though perhaps the love you held for me may develop from just friendship into something else."

They stayed stood the way they were for a while before Diaval smiled and pulled back, holding out his hand he asked, "Would you care for a dance?"

"I do not know how to" Maleficent admitted, placing her hand in his.

Diaval smirked, "Neither do I." and with that he had settled one of her hands on his shoulder, the other clasped lightly in his, Maleficent's wings ruffled as his hand grasped her waist.

Slowly they began dancing and there was laughter involved as the both messed up the steps, finally Maleficent pulled her hand from his and wrapped both her arms lightly round his neck. Diaval smiled and slipped his hands to rest gently in the small of her back and they swayed gently to the music that could be heard from within.

Eventually the fairy let her head rest against his shoulder, he was actually a bit taller than her, the raven-turned-man tightened his grip on her waist and turned to press a kiss to her hair, they were still swaying gently when the song ended and the next one began.

"Godmother?" Aurora's voice broke them from their contented half-dancing and Maleficent lifted her head from his shoulder, though she still had her arms wrapped around him.

The Queen walked out onto the balcony one hand tucked into the crook of Philip's elbow, "Are we interrupting?" The Prince asked taking in the fact that the powerful fairy was wrapped up in the arms of her henchman.

Maleficent didn't reply to his question merely pulled back from Diaval's embrace and stood beside him, she felt on of his arms wind round her waist and without thinking she let hers do the same, her wings fluttering gently at the touch.

"What is it, Beastie?" she asked the golden haired girl.

"Nothing I was just wondering where you were. I thought for an awful moment you had left."

"I wouldn't do that." Maleficent fought back the voice in her head that told her she almost had done so.

After a moment's silence Philip said, "Shall we return to the festivities?"

They all responded with a nod and as the younger couple turned to go back inside they caught Diaval press a to Maleficent's temple before taking her hand and pressing another kiss to her knuckle saying softly, "Thank you for the dance my lady."

**R and R ta xx**


End file.
